Best Heavyweight of all time other than Ali and Louis?

Jack Dempsey. When people who actually saw him fight were still alive, there were some who rated him higher than Joe Louis. He has become criminally underrated over time, even moreso in the 35 years I've been following boxing.

 

My thoughts from an old thread.

http://www.boxingforum24.com/showpost.php?p=15637997&postcount=132

"IMO, Johnson was also the Greatest world champion, up until Joe Louis, reigning for 7 years. One top of that he was Colored champion from 1903 until he won the World title in 1908. I think Tommy Burns and Marvin Hart would not be in the Heavyweight Championship books if there was no color bar. Johnson maybe wins the title as early as 1905 from Jefferies which I would consider the true being of his prime and held it beating all the colored fighters and all of the white fighters like he did regardless. He would have been the champion beating Langford, Jennette, and McVey and the rest of the white fighters he did beat defending the title 25 times and reigning for 12 years.

Essentially this is what did happen. I feel like one could make a claim that Johnson's total title reign is the greatest in boxing history including Joe Louis. His World title reign alone was better than all until Joe Louis and I would say he started his reign closing out his prime."

 

dunno....i'd chance holmes

 

Lennox Lewis, and I wouldn't even say he was 3rd. Equally as good if not better than the other 2.

 

I agree that after the big two, you couldn't go wrong with several fighters.

I would consider Marciano, Dempsey, Johnson, Jeffries, Holmes, and Lewis the next tier personally. Of them I lean towards Johnson and Marciano the most.

 

I voted Holmes, but I rank in tiers and have Holmes, Foreman & Lewis in the same range. But as has been said pretty much 3-14 can be argued to certain degrees and arranged in a variety of ways depending upon your criteria and or biases (yes, most of us have them even if we try to be rational!)

 

The Easton Assassin just about nails it.

 

I can't yet pull the trigger to make a vote ..... Sullivan, Jeffries, Johnson, Dempsey, Marciano, and perhaps Holmes contend for my #3 spot.

Maybe Sullivan just a bit on the underside, because I have a hard time seeing him beating Ali if he had come along in Ali's time.

 

I think Johnson and Dempsey both beat Louis.

 

An argument can be made for almost all the poll candidates, some have a stronger claim than others I think, but there are a number of good choices. Years ago I would have said Holmes, but I don't know if I'd say that now.

 

I picked Tyson...just cuz. But probably Jack Johnson. And I like Holmes and Dempsey too. Damn.